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Discussion forum for the various methods and structures used for getting an early start on your growing season, extending it for several weeks or even year 'round.

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Old March 4, 2014   #31
falconblack
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Our plant out date is last week of May this year prob 1st week of June.
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Old March 4, 2014   #32
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I am 20 minutes North of Winnipeg Manitoba
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Old March 4, 2014   #33
drew51
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Yeah I tend to switch to higher potassium once fruits start to form. Although my soil is usually so rich, not sure it matters? I'm not that far up north either. Summers are long.
Old habits I guess! I do grow in pots, in ground, and raised beds too! So I have three soils to deal with. I tend to give low doses. I play it by ear. if the plant looks poor, I may add more, but most of the time the plants look great so a steady feed at each watering, except when I'm watering every day.

I just got in a peach tree today from California, man last year I could plant at this time, not this year. It's 16 degrees F right now, and it's not changing for the next ten days. In ten days high is 25 low is 11. I guess I have to heal it in, and in the garage, not good!
Monday 2 blueberries, and 1 blackberry are coming in, again from CA. I can treat those as house plants till planting time, no big deal. Although I'm not quite sure what to do with the peach tree? The rest of my orders are from nurseries that can deliver at a better time. The CA ones had to ship now as bare roots are coming out of dormancy. It's actually super late for them. At the time it was the only nursery that had Old Mixon Free. Which is an heirloom peach, one of the oldest cultivars in the USA. Jefferson grew it. I have since found a 2nd nursery with the tree, but already ordered this one.
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Old March 5, 2014   #34
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Nice setup Richard. Just enjoyed viewing the photos.
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Old March 11, 2014   #35
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Nice setup Richard. Just enjoyed viewing the photos.
Thanks Deb!

I expect to pot them in 4-inch pots in a week or two. I'll save one of each variety for planting in the garden and give the rest away.

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Old March 13, 2014   #36
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The night-time temperatures have warmed up enough that I keep the windows next to the seedlings open 24/7.
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Old March 17, 2014   #37
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Preparing for next step:

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Old March 17, 2014   #38
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Today I transplanted the seedlings from the plug trays into 4 inch pots. While this was going on, I turned half the bulbs off in the overhead lighting fixture for the day to reduce stress on the plants.

1st step was to wet down about a cubic foot of Pro-Mix and prepare the 4-inch pots. Next, I lifted the seedlings out of the plug tray one-by-one and placed them in the 4" pots. In the picture below, you'll notice I'm using an ordinary steel dining room fork to scoop each plant out of the plug tray and into a prepared hole in a 4" pot.

When this assembly-line process was all done, I made up a 1-gallon mixture of fresh water and 1/4 teaspoon of plant hormone. I use Grow More Jump Start, but for those who prefer something completely natural Seaweed Extract will work about as well. Anyway, I took this very dilute mixture and gave about 1/4 cup to each newly potted plant. With this I completely avoid symptoms of transplant shock.

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Old March 17, 2014   #39
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Been following the whole thread Looks good.

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Old March 23, 2014   #40
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Here's a picture of my tomato and pepper plants one month after sowing seeds. Looks like I'd better get busy building the planter beds outside.

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Old March 24, 2014   #41
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Wow I have a ways to go yet.Mine are still in styrofoam cups.I am just using that fertilizer you sent me so hopefully they will grow better now.
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Old March 25, 2014   #42
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Yesterday I took one of each cultivar outdoors to start hardening off. However, now we have rain in the forecast for tonight and tomorrow with 15+ mph winds. So I've brought the juvenilles back indoors for a reprieve.

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Old March 25, 2014   #43
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Oh show off ! Your plants are amazing at 4 weeks .. such a broad leaf canopy and nice and fat and green, not like my tall plants with narrow leaves. I may take some of that plant hormone MYSELF. Your hard work really paid off. I'll definitely follow your regimine next growing season.


-L.
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Old March 25, 2014   #44
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Just one more question ..

I'm in a very windy area here, no gentle breezes in the plains like you have. 15 mph doesn't seem like much to me as we routinely have 25-35 mph winds, and gusts much higher. What is the wind tolerance at this stage if they are well watered? Am I stressing plants too much, or do they naturally adapt to the harsher environment?

-L.
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Old March 25, 2014   #45
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Quote:
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Oh show off ! Your plants are amazing at 4 weeks .. such a broad leaf canopy and nice and fat and green, not like my tall plants with narrow leaves. I may take some of that plant hormone MYSELF. Your hard work really paid off. I'll definitely follow your regimine next growing season.
-L.
Thank you, although I think it has a lot to do with the amount and kind of lighting I have been using. Beyond that -- yes, the nutrient program is also important.


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Just one more question ..
I'm in a very windy area here, no gentle breezes in the plains like you have. 15 mph doesn't seem like much to me as we routinely have 25-35 mph winds, and gusts much higher. What is the wind tolerance at this stage if they are well watered? Am I stressing plants too much, or do they naturally adapt to the harsher environment?
-L.
They might naturally snap off at the base

I'd harden them off outdoors with a lot of wind protection and perhaps a pencil-size stake in the pot. Also maybe it's just a daytime activity for you because I'd want the temperatures to be at least 60F.
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